The first 12 rounds of action in the 2012-13 Spanish Primera Division have produced the most goals and a highest number of goals per game for 30 years.
The 120 games played so far this term in La Liga have produced a total of 354 goals, which is a joint record total from the past 30 years held with the 1996-97 season. However, that campaign needed 132 games to reach the same record total after 12 rounds, having been when La Liga listed 22 clubs.
In real terms, the average goals per game ratio produced this season in the Spanish top flight stands at 2.95 a match and is only bettered in history by the start to the 1983-84 season, when the first 12 rounds of action played out between 18 teams – meaning 108 games were played – produced 326 goals at an average of 3.02 a game.
The season’s beginning has been notable for a number of high-scoring encounters, including Barcelona’s 5-4 win at Deportivo, Real Zaragoza’s 5-3 defeat of Rayo Vallecano, Real Valladolid’s 6-1 demolition of Rayo and Real Betis’ early 5-3 result at Athletic Bilbao.
Individual starts from Lionel Messi with 17 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo with 12 and Radamel Falcao with 10 have also contributed to the record start.
Of note from the last 30 years, following the 1983-84 season that produced the highest average of goals per game from the first 12 rounds, the 1984-85 season still stands as the least productive start in front of goal, with the first 12 rounds producing only 1.95 goals per game. That is also an overall lowest total of 211 goals scored too.
